Diplomacy

On Thursday (21 October), Libya's transitional government hosted various foreign officials in Tripoli to garner support for the transition process.  Around 30 delegations participated in the Libya Stabilization Conference including those representing the United Nations, European Union, African Union and the Arab League.

"The 'Conference on the Future of Europe' was launched in Spring this year to open a new debate with citizens to address Europe's challenges and priorities. Listening to citizens and giving them a say is also highly relevant when it comes to foreign and security policy. Citizens are expecting more from us, so we should heed their call for action and results", EU High Representative Josep Borrell wrote on his blog

Diplomatic and political sources in various capitals in Europe and the Middle East suggest that Iran may be ready to resume  talks on the "nuclear file" in the coming days. A senior Iranian diplomat is expected in Brussels later this week for further discussions ahead of the resumption of the official negotiations in Vienna.

Speaking at a press conference after her meeting with Turkish president Recip Tayib Erdogan Mrs Merkel said "Geostrategically, we are attached or dependent on one another; Our peace and security are attached to the other."

Fighting has escalated in the last weeks in Marib and Al-Jawf, as intense diplomacy is failing to deliver any tangible progress towards reaching a ceasefire. Both the Houthis and the coalition admitted several airstrikes conducted by the coalition on various parts of Yemen over the last week. Meanwhile, government forces say they are keeping the Houthis at bay as they defend Marib city. 

After his visit to Baku at the end of September, Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili this weekend paid a working visit to Armenia for meetings with his Armenian counterpart Nikol Pashinyan. According to the website of the Georgian Government, the initiative was at the centre of the discussions in Yerevan between the two prime ministers. Garibashvili reaffirmed the readiness of Georgia to continue its active facilitation role in order to ensure peace, stability and the gradual transformation of the South Caucasus into a region of new opportunities, development and peace.

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, is in Aden where he met with prime minister Maeen Abdulmalik to discuss ways to salvage the Riyadh agreement between the recognised Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC). Grundburg stressed the need to implement the Riyadh agreement noting its economic, social and political benefits.